# Is "The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm (Tales from Alagaësia 1)" by Christopher Paolini a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm (Tales from Alagaësia 1) by Christopher Paolini (Alfred A. Knopf / Random House, 2018) is identified by: First printing has the full number line ending in 1 on the copyright page, Knopf 2018, with the first-state price present on the unclipped jacket flap. US Knopf hardcover is the true first, released December 31, 2018; Eragon-universe story collection (Tales from Alagaesia, Volume 1).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing has the full number line ending in 1 on the copyright page, Knopf 2018, with the first-state price present on the unclipped jacket flap
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf / Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Christopher Paolini |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf / Random House |
| Year | 2018 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Children's / illustrated |
| Key point | First printing has the full number line ending in 1 on the copyright page, Knopf 2018… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
First printing has the full number line ending in 1 on the copyright page, Knopf 2018, with the first-state price present on the unclipped jacket flap.

## Is this the true first?
US Knopf hardcover is the true first, released December 31, 2018; Eragon-universe story collection (Tales from Alagaesia, Volume 1).

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings advance the number line so it no longer ends in 1.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm (Tales from Alagaësia 1)* by Christopher Paolini a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-fork-the-witch-and-the-worm-tales-from-alaga-sia-1
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.